Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech during the National Day celebrations in front of the Presidential Building in Taipei on Oct. 10. Taiwan's President Tsai is setting off for the United States and three South Pacific nations in an effort to crack the diplomatic isolation imposed by rival China.. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying, File) less

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech during the National Day celebrations in front of the Presidential Building in Taipei on Oct. 10. Taiwan's President Tsai is setting off for the United States ... more

Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, STR

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U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., smiles during an interview on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017. Flake announced he won't seek re-election and then delivered a blistering attack onÂ Donald TrumpÂ on the Senate floor, the second GOP senator to publicly excoriate the president on theÂ day the party wanted to put a proposed tax overhaul at the forefront. (Olivier Douliery/Bloomberg less

U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., smiles during an interview on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017. Flake announced he won't seek re-election and then delivered a blistering attack onÂ Donald ... more

Regarding "The high price of climate change" (Page B3, Wednesday), the high price of natural disasters has long plagued people and governments around the world. This is a universal issue with few solutions beyond broad cooperation and strategic planning.

Combatting climate change is made more complicated when countries and communities cannot collaborate and compare strategies. Even when a country takes matters into its own hands (for example, when Taiwan chose to follow suggested emission standards despite not being a member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), lack of full participation by all concerned parties continue to cause problems. Taiwan joining the UNFCCC would be a welcomed and important chapter in the story of this global crisis.

If we hope to reduce the high price of climate change, then, together, we must marshal our knowledge and skills. We need to work together to form long-term strategies focused on green energy and equal participation as well as government and community-wide disaster planning.

Regarding "Flake slams Trump in fiery speech" (Page A1, Wednesday), so it has come to this? The only options for any Republican with the courage to say what must be said are retirement or death.

Through our leaders' actions and silence, these are the examples being set for our children: Lie compulsively, even in the face of facts. Demand loyalty but offer none in return. Insult or bully those who disagree with you. When you don't get your way, throw a tantrum. If possible, avoid paying taxes or serving your country. Don't waste time educating yourself on matters in which you are ignorant. Force yourself on the opposite sex, then brag about it. Dedicate your entire life to self preservation and self enrichment, then convince people you do it all for them. If they're distracted enough, they'll buy it.

Will these be the values taught in some dystopian American civics class? We can't stand by and consign the reputation and future of our country to a band of religious zealots, ignorant reprobates and nearsighted opportunists.

It's time to close ranks - true Republicans and Democrats alike - and take our country back.

Robert Campbell, Katy

Strategizing victimhood

Regarding "Freedom of speech" letter (Page A14), a writer says that screaming and shouting can "deny anybody freedom of speech." I disagree. It can deny anybody the freedom to be listened to but that is not a right. The First Amendment to the Constitution reads, "Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech. ." Notice it does not say "right-wing speakers intentionally provoking protests have the right to be heard" or anything remotely similar. The shouters and the provocative speakers enjoy the same right to express their views.

If there are enough shouters at Texas Southern University to drown out the views of the speakers, perhaps the speakers should speak somewhere friendlier, like a white supremacist rally - but that would defeat their tactic, which is to appear victimized by the people they are deliberately seeking to offend.